Improvement in harvesters



VILLIAM N. WHITELEY, JR., OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO;

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 59,302, dated October30, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it. known that I, WILLIAM N. WHHELEY, J r., of Springfield, county ofClarke, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement inHarvesters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan view of my machine.Fig. 2 is a front elevation with the tongue removed. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation with one bearing-wheel removed.

My invention consists, first, in improved form and arrangement of thepart-s composing the. main frame, whereby the greatest strength issecured with the minimum weight of material; second, in improvements inthe form and connection of the curved standards and sectorplates 5third, in the construction and arrangement of the drivers footboard andthe toolbox, securing support to the standards and economy of space 5fourth, improved method of managing theflexible tongue, so as to renderit rigid at will and at any point of elevation; fifth, in the method ofhanging the iiywheel shaft so that it can never get out of line with itsbearings, and so that the frame is strengthened thereby 5 sixth,inimprovements in the method ot attaching the reel-post to the shoe and inadjusting the height of the reel and tightness of the belt.

That others may understand the construction and operation of my machine,I will particularly describe it.

In order to secure the maximum strength with the least weight, Iconstruct my main frame entirely of wrought iron or steel, and

the side bars AA of L-shaped angle-iron, which secures a greater degreeof stiffness than if fiat bars were used, without increasing the weight.To these side bars are securely attached the cross-bars B and C, atright angles to A. The bar B crosses the front ends 0f the side bars,and extends beyond them on the side toward the cutting apparatus farenough to permit the drag-bar D to be attached to its outer end and belocated outside of the bearing-wheel, which is on that side of themachine. The cross-bar C is located just beneath the rear end of thedrivers foot-board. Its ends do not extend beyond the outer sides ofside bars A. That side bar A which is toward the cutting' apparatusextends backward some distance farther than the other side bar, and thebrace E, which lies across the rear ends of the side bars and is rigidlysecured to them, is therefore diagonal to the other parts of the fraaie.This brace E extends beyond the side bar which is toward the cuttingapparatus so far that it meets the drag-bar D at its rear end, andformsthe'bearing and support for that end of said drag-bar. In order to bringthe rear end of the said drag-bar into the desired position in relationto the other parts of the machinet e., a little drooping from itsattachment tothe bar B-the extreme extended end of the brace E is bentdownward and forward, so as to 'bring said end sufficiently low, andalso at right angles to the drag-bar, which passes through a suitablehole in said end. The drag-bar D is securely bolted to the end of thecross-bar B, and has a shoulder near its rear end, against which thefront side of the brace E rests when these parts are in position, ,'sothat the brace E will resist any backward thrust of the drag-bar inconsequence of said shoulder, and it will also resist any forward thrustof the saine, in consequence of the screw-nut which is placed on theextreme rear end of said drag-bar.

The main frame of my machine may be considered as consisting ofthe sixpieces already named, which'are all so joined and disposed as to yieldmutual support to each other. K

The bearing and driving wheels F and Gr are mounted upon axles whichproject from sector-plates H H, which are hung and move upon the shaftof the driving-pinion as an axis. To secure the end of the sector-plateto which the bearing-wheels axle is attached so that said wheel shallalways occupy its proper position in a plane about parallel with theside of the main frame, a curved standard or guide is required whichshall at all times retain the sector-plate in its proper parallelposition, as explained, while it may be permitted to move verticallywith freedom around the shaft ofthe driving-pinion as a center.

I desire to permit the greatest possible range of movement of thissector-plate, as well as to render the standard or guide as perfectlyrigid as possible. I therefore construct the latter as shown at I--thatis, perfectly circular, as in Fic. 3, and having athin fianged edge, asshown in Figs. l and 2. This circular guide I is provided on thex sidewhich is toward the frame with feet t' e?, through which vertical boltsor screws pass into the side bars A. They are also provided withbrackets, k 7.1, upon which the feet or standards ofthe driversfoot-board rest, forining a connection between the two standards orguides, H H, at a point some distance above the frame, thus preventingperfectly any tendency to spring either outward or inward at the upperportions. Bolts are also passed through the standards and side barshorizontally, so thatthefasteniug is very secure-more so than would bepossible were the side bars simply flat, as heretofore made. The outerends of the sector-plates are provided with hooking lla-nges j', whichextend over and embrace the ilange-cdgc of the standard H, as shown inFig. 1.

This method presents the advantage of rendering' it possible to reducethe radius of said curved standard, and by making them smaller withoutdecreasing their efficiency, the niachine is made lighter and cheaper.

By making these standards or guides in the form represented the wheelsmay be moved vertically through a much larger space than heretofore, andthey may occupy any position in respect to the shaft of thedriving-pinion that may be desired.

The levers J J are attached to the sectorplates to assist in changingthe relative position of the bearing-wheel and main frame.

The sector-plates are retained in any desired position upon the standardor guide H by means of pins or equivalent devices.

The axles of the bearing-wheels are of the tubular construction shown inFig. l and heretofore described in other Letters Patent granted to lne.

The shaft of the drivin g-pinion extends across the main frame, restingin boxes a a on the side bars A. Besides the drivingpinion, this shafthas upon it a bevel-gear wheel, which drives the cntters crank-shaft.

The boxes a a are cast witha hook, b, projecting sidewise from one end,for the purpose ot' embracing a flange, c, upon the edge of thesector-plate, so as to prevent said plate from ever being removed fromits bearing except when brought to a certain position, where its llangeo will not be under the hook b.

The drvers foot-board K is supported at its front end by standardsresting upon the front bar of the main frame, and at its rear end byfeet resting upon the brackets k projecting from the standards `orguides H.

The drivers seatis mounted uponthe board K, and is adjustable backwardand forward thereon.

The toolbox L is placed beneath the footboard K, and may occupya spaceequal to the entire area oi' said board, if desired, thus econmizin gspace-a great desideratuln in machines of small size. The tool-box isaccessible through an openin g in the foot-board K, covered by aflap-lid, Z.

The tongue M is attached to the main frame of the machine by means ofthe tongue-socket N, which is hinged to said frame.

It is always necessary that the attendant should have some' means ofraising or lowering the cutting apparatus, to pass it over obstructionswhich may bein its road. ln case both ends of the cutting apparatus arefree to follow the undulations of the ground, as is the case with thismachine, it is necessary that the two ends of said cutting apparatusshould be controlled by separate devices. That end of the cuttingapparatus which is toward the lnain frame is in this machine raised bytilt- -ing the front end of said machine downward.

This is rendered possible with a flexible tongue, as is hererepresented, and the required movement is produced by means ot' thelever 0,

Vwhich is attached to the tongue-socket N.

The effect of this lever is well understood.

lBy drawing the lever O backward until it comes in contact with thefront edge of the foot-board K, the tongue may be rendered rigid, andcontinue so as long as the lever is so held. This eiect could not beproduced if there were no solid part for the lever O to bepressed-against.

But it is not desirable always to raise the cutting apparatus to thehighest point, and I therefore render the lever O adjustable to anydesired angle to the surface ofthe tonguesocket N, so that in drawing itback against the foot-board it may have to move through a greater orless distance, and per consequence the frame A will be tilted to agreater or less degree. This adjustability of the lever O is possible atany movement, and is accomplished as follows: It is pivoted at its lowerend to the center of the vertical disk l?, which is provided with aseries of holes along a circular'line near its edge. A pin, m, projectsthrough a hole in the lever O into one of the holes in the disk P, andthus secures them together. The pin m is kept in place by a spring',which must be ilexed when it is withdrawn, so that the lever may beremoved to another position. The pin m may at any time be withdrawn fromits hole in the disk by a supplementary lever, p, Fig. 2, which liesalongside of the lever O. It may begrasped by the fingers of the handwhich grasps the lever O, and pressed toward said lever, so as towithdraw the pin m.. When the pressure of the fingers is removed from pthe spring r will immediately return the pin m to the hole opposite towhich it is next brought.

lt may be desirable sometimes to hold the tongue rigid in one positionlonger than it would be convenient to do by the hand, or it may benecessary to hold it rigid while the position of the lever O is beingshifted; and I therefore provide a foot-latch, Q, which consists of alever placed beneath the foot-board K, one end projecting upward throughsaid foot-board, and taking e'ect in one of a series of holes throughthe strap R, which projects backward from the front end of the tonguesocket N through a cleat, S, for that purpose. The other end of thelever Q is provided with a treadle, upon which the attendants foot is tobe placed when he desires to bring this latch into use to hold the tongue rigid in any position. When not in use a spring keeps the latch endof the lever Q withdrawn, so that the strap R is free to slide backandforth through the cleat as the tongue moves up and down in respect tothe frame. A simple ec-.

centric-lever to clamp the strap It may be used instead of this lever Qand its attachments.

The cutters driving-crank shaft is revolved very rapidly, and is usuallymuch exposed to dust and grit. From the rapidity ot' its revolution, itsliability to have grit in its boxes, unequal strain, and the generalviolence of the labor imposed upon it, it is more liable to wear out itsbearings and to get out of line than any other part of the machine. Iobviate all of these difficulties by mounting the said shaft T in atubular box, U, which extends from the bearing at one end to the bearingat the other. By this means the two bearings can never be out of line,and the shaft and bearings are also preserved from the effects of dustand grit. This continuous box is cast hollow, the oentral portion beingcored out so as to be larger than the shaft T, while the two ends arebored so as to form bearings for the journals of said shafts. lt is alsoprovided with lu gs,properly disposed to permit bolts to be passedthrough them into the cross-bar C and the brace E. It will readily beseen that this continuous box or tube will be in itself very strong,andv that, in addition to its advantages in keeping the shaft Tprotected from dust and always in line, it will, when bolted to the barC and brace E, materially strengthen the main frame of Ithe machine.

The shoe V is constructed with two transverse vertical lugs, c fv', atits front and rear ends, and through holes in these lugs the rear end ofthe drag-bar D passes, forming an axis upon which the said shoe and thewhole cutting apparatus may swing in a plane of motion nearly verticaland at right angles to the line of the machines forward movement. Thefront and rear ends of this shoe are curved upward, so that it may slideover the cut grass without dragging it forward.

The drag-bar D passes freely through the front luge', but before passingthrough the brace E and the rear lug c it is turned smaller, so as toleave a shoulder, which rests against the front side of the brace E.Behind the lug c is placed a short sleeve, s, on the rear end of thedrag-bar D, and against the rear end of this sleeve is a screw-nut,which holds and secures all of these parts in place. The sleeve sfurnishes a bearing for the lifting-lever W, the lower end of whichrests behind a little shoulder upon the upper side of the shoe, in rearof the lug c and near that edge which is toward the cutters.

The lifting lever W curves upward and. over toward the main frame A, andis linked at its upper end to the rear end of the hand-lever X. When theattendant desires to raisethe outer end of the cutting apparatus hegrasps this hand-lever, and by raising its forward .end he depresses theupper end of the lever W, and the shoe V is thereby caused to swing uponits axis, (the drag-bar 1),) and thus raise the outer end of the cuttingapparatus. This operation is well known and understood.

If it is desired to retain the cutting apparatus in the last-mentionedposition, the handlever X is raised high enough to rest upon the top ofthe standard Y, which is placed there for that purpose.

Just in rear of the lug v', and near that edge of the shoe which istoward the cutters, is the longitudinal vertical lug Z, and to thislatter lug the reel-post R' is secured by a screw-bolt, a, at its lowerend, and a screw-bolt, t, screwing into any one of a series of holes inthe upper'part of the lug Z. By these means the reel-post, moving on thebolt u as a pivot, may be inclined a little forward or backward of aperpendicular position and secured so.

The reel-shaft is carried in a long tubular box, S', and belongs to thatclass known as overhauging.7 The box S' is secured transversely to asleeve, T', which slides up and down upon the reel-post. This sleeve, inaddition to a set-screw to keep it tight upon the post, has alifting-screw, U', which is secured to the sleeve T', and passed upwardthrough a cap, V', upon the top of said post, and there operated by ascrew-nut.

The reel is drivenby a belt from a pulley on the hub of thedriving-wheel Gr to the reelpulley G', but as the distance between thepulleys Gr and Gr' is liable to constant variation, it is necessary toprovide an automatic tighteni 11g-pulley to take up the slack of thebelt and secure at all times a sufcient pressure to insure the constantrevolution of the reel. This tightenin g-pulley W', I mount upon aspring-arm, X', which is attached to a sleeve adjustable up and downupon the reel-post B. A set-screw retains this sleeve at any desiredpoint. The screw Y', bearing against the spring-arm X' at a point aboveits point of yattachment, increases or diminishes the stiffness of saidspring-arm as desired.

When it is desired to raise the entire cutting apparatus from theground, as in going to or from the field, it may be done by elevatingthe one end by the levers W and Y, and the other end by tilting theforward end of the frame downward, as heretofore described; or thecutting apparatus may be turned up and folded (the drag-bar D acting asthe axis) in a mani ner well known, and retained in that position by thestay-rod e', the end of which is passed through a hole in the nger-barand secured there by a screw-nut.

When this machine is to be used for reaping grain the platform shown byred lines in Fig. l

with its proper divider and grainwheel, is at- `tached to thefinger-bar.

Having described myinvention, what I claim form shown and described, incombination with Jthe driving-wheel and main frame of a harvester.

3. The sector-plate H, provided with the hookingflange j', incombination with the curved sectorstandard l and the main frame of aharvester, for the purpose set forth.

4. The brackets 7c, in combination with thel curved sector-standard sand dri vers foot-board 'K, of a harvester, for the purpose ofstrengtheninte, and supporting said standards.

5. The drivers foot-board K, and tool-box L, when arranged as shown anddescribed.

6. The adjustable lever O, :in combination with the tongue M, for thepurpose of con trolling and changing the angle of the tongue to the mainframe. i

7. The levers O and p, spring r, and pin m, in combination with the diskP and tongue M, for the purpose set forth.

S. The spring' foot-latch Q, in combination with the strap R, tongue M,and main frame of a harvester. for the purpose set forth.

9. rlhe box U, constructed as described, in combination with thecrank-shaft T, cross-bar C, and diagonal brace E, for the purpose ofprotecting the shaft T and strengthening the' frame, as set forth.

l0. The vertically and laterally adjustable spring,` tightening-pulleyW', when constructed as described.

WM. N. WHITELEY, JR.

Witnesses:

J oHN D. MILLER, REUBEN MILLER.

